This Time Around
by ToNyEmBlEy
Summary: Distance, silence, and everything in between. A boy who knows what he wants and a girl to scared to have it. Rated M for eventual sexual themes.
1. No Labels

The night was so quite and my skin so warm. Raven laid beside me with her breath rhythmically pulling in and out. I loved the roof of Titan's Tower. Every night was so calm and the briny smell of salt water always whipped through the air. I was leaning against the small barrier that separated the flat roof surface from the sheer drop downwards.

Her eyes stared deep into the stars. I wondered what she was thinking, though I didn't truly care. All I cared about was that she was here.

_How did we end up here? _I thought.

_How did I end up with this gorgeous girl resting on my chest. Holding tightly to my uniform._

"So what does this mean, Raven?" My words seemed to bounce off her ears, not that it was unusual.

"What are you doing up here with me?" She sat up to look around with a small chuckle. I regretted her having to release me. I wanted her warmth against me again.

"I don't know Beast." I still wasn't used to being called that, I know it suited me a little more since we were all getting older, but it doesn't mean that adjusting was comfortable.

"I don't know what any of it means, but can we just try to enjoy it? I don't want any labels on this. Maybe I'm just afraid of what it might mean _to_ label it. Please."

Her eyes were so piercing. An unsteady stare that held more questions than answers. So I pulled her back into my arms and let the night sky envelop us once again. Silence was the connection that bound this to reality. I held her, I breathed in every moment possible and committed it to memory as if at any second it could just vanish.

"Just don't push me away. That's all I ask. I don't know if I can take it anymore, Raven." My lips left the plea hanging in the air with nothing to bolster it down.

"I can't promise you anything." It was cold and not what I wanted, but I took it anyway. I'd take anything she gave me. More years of torture, the distant glances when I wasn't looking. Those yearning instants where our eyes would meet. All that mattered was right here, right now.

Maybe things could be different this time around.


	2. Let the Game Begin

**-8:37pm-**

The morning was just the same as always.

I had made my tofu eggs and was about to sit down and watch cartoons when Raven walked into the kitchen.

"I'm hungry." She said with her usual nothingness and opened the fridge door to pull out the tortillas and some cheese.

"You making a quesadilla Rae?" As she turned on the electric stove her eyes were filled with anticipation. Like a starving lion stalking a fat wildebeest, or a quesabeest, wildedilla. Whatever.

At the smell of food, of course the rest of the gang came out.

"Mornin guys. ~UGHHHHHHH~" Cyborg always groaned like that when he stretched. Sounded like a dying elephant.

"Ah…much better. So, what's for breakfast?"

"Well I made tofu eggs, Raven is making a quesadilla, and I assume you're going to fry some bacon and god knows what else that is made of an animal. Just so you know, if I ever get a cat and it goes missing, Imma be knocking on your door first."

"Me? Why?"

"…Dude…when we were on a stakeout you pulled a bag of ribs out of nowhere! Then you continued to eat them while we were being attacked! Now tell me why I shouldn't be suspicious. If you didn't know I was a cow when I shifted I bet you would kill me and throw me on a grill!"

"I might just do that right now, smart-mouthed green monkey."

I jumped up behind Raven who just walked by me.

"You wouldn't like me! I'm too chewy!" My hands on her shoulders brought a smile to her lips and my arms slowly wrapped around her, nuzzling her neck. Her light fingers gripped my wrist as she leaned into me with a content sigh.

I decided to push a little when Cyborg turned around shaking his head with a grin. Muttering something under his breath.

"_About damn time."_ His words trailing off after that.

My lips found their way to Raven's neck, lightly pressing against her pulse. Her body went rigid and her breath caught in her throat. She was going to pull away before my teeth locked down on a patch of skin, a low groan tearing out of her throat.

Then I left her there. Yup. I just walked away and sat down next to Cyborg.

I hadn't even heard her move, not a sound or rustle was made, but her lips were at my ear anyways.

"_You'll pay for that." _The sultry whisper consumed me, sending a shudder down my spine in all the right ways.

Her fingers twined in my hair as I leaned my head back to look up at her.

"Looking forward to it."

**-TT-**

**-2:24pm-**

Today had been relatively boring compared to the days us Titan's have had. I started to feel bad for wanting something to go down, some horrible accident or mugger to go on a spree. A bank robbery. Something, anything! But no. We were stuck in this tower, trying to be adults and be responsible.

No, I'd been responsible enough for one week. I hadn't even bummed money off Nightwing for anything! Not once! Did I get credit though? No. So I decided that, maybe, we should relax. I went to Cyborg and started plotting.

He was in his garage tinkering with some sort of addition to his body. Dumb robot didn't even let me speak.

"Not interested. I'm broke. I'm busy. Maybe later. I have a headache. Any of those answer your question?"

"Yeah, but hear me out Cy. Aren't you tired of the all work no play attitude lately?" He paused for a moment before turning to me, putting his project aside to listen.

"No actually, I've actually been able to get all my crap done. Take a look around you. Noticing anything?" His big arms on his big shoulders made a big arc to make me look at this big room. He was right though, I did notice something.

"Holy crap, where's all your Junk?!" Everything sparkled and shined with nary a grease stain or scrap pile in sight.

"See, now what do you want?" Hand's on his metallic hips.

"Sheesh, impatient talking vacuum. I was just suggesting a little fun. Like a nice game of hide and seek. How does that sound? Hear me out. You and I lock down the main entrances and exits, you put the main power core into your chest compartment, and I take the activation key with me. They have to have both to turn the power back on. How's that sound?"

I was shaking with excitement, that or I had too much sugar. Either way... excitement.

I could see him mulling it over in his head, I could practically hear all the cogs underneath that metal tarp he called his skull. Finally his arms dropped to his sides with a small metallic thump.

***dramatic sigh* **"Fine, I'm in. When do we do this?" That familiar grin spread across his lips, the skin creasing just above his metal chin.

"As soon as that sun goes down over the bay. You cut the power and we take off. Deal, bro?" I held my fist out to his and he bumped it.

"Oh yeah. Deal. If they find you first, you owe me a Pizza." His eyes blazed in trickery as he added his condition.

"Sure, but when they find **you** first, you owe me some burritos."

**-TT-**

**-8:56pm-**

I stood at the front of the main floor. Being so high up, there was a brilliant view of the bay... and the sun. It was a pitched watercolor of blazing orange hues that spiraled above the aquamarine water. Slowly dipping under the water.

Her footsteps gave her away before her reflection in the glass did. She had her arms crossed and pulled tightly into her chest, not angry, just contemplating.

Her eyes were locked onto the floor as she made her way closer. Then her head pressed against the back of my neck, she didn't move, but neither did I. We stood still a moment, soaking in the view. Her lips planted a small kiss on my neck to tell a tale words couldn't.

"Some view." She said, moving to my side, leaning against my arm, head over my shoulder.

"Yup." Then sun vanished over the horizon and the lights cut out. By the time the emergency lights came on, basking Raven in a red glow, I was gone and she was left standing there.

I stood in the darkened rafters as a mouse, watching as Nightwing and Starfire walked out of the elevator together.

"Hey, Raven. What's going on? Cyborg and Beast asked us to meat here." Nightwing said as Starfire looked from him to Raven, asking the same question with her bright green eyes.

That's when me and Cyborg's message came over the large screen in front of them. Both of us speaking in turns, I went first.

"_Our fellow Titans! I bet you're wondering just what we gathered you here for!"_

"_We have decided to play a game of hide and seek, and participation is mandatory."_

"_You see, we've blocked off all the exits and locked down the entire building, leaving you with no power."_

"_Cyborg has the power core."_

"_And Beast has the authorization key. You need both to restore functionality to this building."_

"_**Have fun searching!" **_We both finished in unison, leaving our dumbfounded teammates to start the hunt.


End file.
